This application claims the benefit of Korean Application No. 2002-35778, filed Jun. 25, 2002, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a memory drive having a multi-connector and a method of controlling the same, and more particularly, to a memory drive having a multi-connector, in which compatibility of the memory drive connected to electronic devices is improved by providing different types of connectors in the memory drive.
2. Description of the Related Art
A storage device generally called a memory drive or a memory disk is a new storage interface, which can replace conventional storage devices.
The memory drive is a storage device in which a comparatively large volume of data in a range between 8 MB to 256 MB can be stored, and the memory drive can be conveniently updated. Further, the memory drive does not require any additional drive and the memory drive is capable of being connected to electronic devices such as a digital camera, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a cellular phone, as well as a computer, to thereby store data therein.
The memory drive supports most of universal serial bus (USB) interfaces. The USB interface refers to a standard unifying specifications of data interfaces developed for conveniently connecting peripheral devices such as printers, mouses, keyboards, etc. to a computer. Depending on positions and numbers of pins, and sizes of ports thereof, the USB ports are classified into an A-type USB port, a B-type USB port, and a 5 pin mini B-type USB port, a 4 pin mini-B type USB port and so on.
FIGS. 5A and 5B show an A-type USB port and a mini B-type USB port, respectively. As shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, a USB port is generally comprised of 4 pins, including a 5V power source pin, +data, xe2x88x92data and ground (GND). The A-type USB port is applied to a computer, the mini B-type USB port is applied to portable electronic devices such as digital cameras. These USB ports are both identical in kinds of signals inputted or outputted through each pin but are different in sizes of the ports. The A-type USB port is used in the computer, but in portable electronic devices having a relatively small and limited space, the mini B-type USB port is used, having a reduced size compared to the A-type USB port.
In the case of a conventional memory drive, the conventional memory drive comprises an A-type USB connector by which the conventional memory drive is connectable to the A-type USB port provided in the computer. Thus, in the case of communicating data between portable electronic devices such as the digital cameras and the conventional memory drive, the conventional memory drive cannot be directly connected to the mini B-type USB port of portable electronic devices. In order to connect the conventional memory drive to the portable electronic devices, a cable is used, the cable having an A-type USB port for connection to the memory drive provided in one end thereof and a mini B-type connector for connection to the portable electronic devices provided in another end thereof.
Where the connector provided in the conventional memory drive is dissimilar in type to the port provided in the electronic device, an additional cable is required, thereby causing inconvenience to a user.
Accordingly, a memory drive enabling an easy connection to a variety of electronic devices is provided.
The above and other objects of the present invention are achieved by providing a memory drive having a multi-connector, comprising a plurality of connectors different in type, to receive data from and transmit data to an electronic device; a memory storing therein the data inputted from the electronic device; a controller storing the data received through the connector connected to the electronic device in the memory, reading out the data stored in the memory and providing the data to the electronic device through the connector connected to the electronic device.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.
The memory drive having a multi-connector further comprises a plurality of switches corresponding to a plurality of connectors, switching signals inputted and outputted through the plurality of connectors; wherein a controller controls the switches so that the data is prevented from being inputted and outputted through any other connectors except for one predetermined connector, where at least two connectors connect an electronic device.
According to another aspect a method of controlling a portable memory drive having a multi-connector, comprises preparing a plurality of connectors different in type for data reception from and transmission to an electronic device; determining whether at least two connectors are connected to the electronic device when power is supplied; preventing input and output of data through any other connectors except for one predetermined connector, where the at least two connectors are determined to be connected to the electronic device; and processing the data inputted and outputted through the one predetermined connector.
If only one of the at least two connectors is determined to be connected to the electronic device, the data inputted and outputted through the connector currently in connection is processed.